Automatic dental plugger



(No Model.)

H. 0. BALLARD. AUTOMATIC DENTAL PLUGGER.

No. 423,205. Patented Mar. 1l, 1890.

N. PETERS. Phmomwgmmer. wnshngmn. DA CA UNITED STATES PATENT i OFFICE.A

HENRY curr BALLARD, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

`AUTOMATIC DENTAL Prussian.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,205, dated March 1,1, 1890, v

Application filed December l0, 1889. Serial No. 333,173. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CLIFF BALLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Automatic Dental Pluggers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatic dental plugg'ers; and it has for its object to generally simplify the construction and to render more efcient in operation this class of dentists appliances.

The moreimmediate object of the present invention is to improve upon the construction of that class of dental pluggers in which the plugger-point of the instrument moves in a direction at right angles to the handle, and hence is specially adapted for use in yconsolidating gold in the grooves and against the walls of dental cavities in the posterior teeth, the principle which is involved in the operation of the several parts being entirely different from that which is involved in the operation of the so-called back-action dental pluggers which have heretofore been constructed.

To the above ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists in the peculiar construction and in the novel combination, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form apart of this specication, like letters of reference indicating like parts throughout the several views, and in which drawings' v Figure l is a perspective view of a dental plugger constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same in which the parts are shown as in the position which they will occupy when in readiness to impart a blow. Fig. 3 is a similar view in which the parts are shown in the position occupied when the blow is imparted.

Reference now being had to the details of .the drawings, letter A represents the handle of the instrument, which is preferably made of a hollow tube of metal.

i is a short metallic tube, which is soldered or otherwise suitably attached to the end of the handle and extends at right angles thereto, as shown, the upper end of the tube being flush with the flattened portion A upon the upper face of the handle.

C is a block of metal fitted within the interior of the tube Band adapted to be moved vertically therein, the interior of the tube heilig provided with a hardened-steel lining in order to prevent in a great measure the wearing of the parts, and in order also to insure a more perfect fit. adapted to receive and carry the pluggcrpoint, I designate it the plugger-socket. I

C is a metallic pin, one end of which is secured within a suitable opening formed in the pluggeresocket, while its free end extends horizontally through a vertical slot C2, formed in the rear face of the tube B, and this pin serves as a guide for the plugger-socket in its vertical movements, and at the same time prevents ,possible rotary movement of the same within the tube, as will be readily understood. i

The upper portionof the plugger-socket C, upon Vthe side opposite to that provided with the pin C', is cutaway to formasubstantially right-angled recess C3, and within the lower portion of this recess is pivoted the lower end of the latch D,which latch is curved or formed upon the are of a circle and is provided at its upper end with a notch D', for a purpose which will presently appear.

E is a flat curved spring, the lower end of which is secured within a suitable recess formed in the bottom of the recess C3. The

central portion of the spring bears against the inner face of the tube B, while its free end bears against the outer face of the latch D.

The lower face of the plugger-socket is pro- As the block C is vided with a suitable screw-threaded opening, within which is secured the pluggerpoint E.

F is the hammer-spring, which is secured to the upper face of the handle, preferably. within a shallow groove formed therein for its reception, so that the upper face ot the body of the spring will be substantially flush with or slightly above the upper face of the handle. This spring is secured to the handle by means of suitable bolts F', passed through the spring and handle, and its free end, which extends over the open upper end of the tube B, is thickened or weighted, as shown at F2, while upon the lower face of the handle, directly beneath the hammer-spring F, is secured, by the same bolts which hold said spring` in place, a spring G, thebody of which is substantially flush with the lower face of the handle, While the free end ot" the spring is inclined inwardly through a slot G in the handle and its extreme end is securedto the plugger-socket- .A metallic ring H', passed over the handleat the point at which the springs are secured, servesas a means of regulating the tension of the hammer-spring, as will be understood.

J is a transverse pin passed through the tube -B Vwithin the recess Cs and-the inner face of the, latch D.l

In operation the plugger-point is placed `upon the iilling within the tooth, and by forcing the handle Vof the instrument downward the pluggersocket C is forced upward until kss the ourvedinner face of the latch comes in` contact withthe cross-pin .I forcing the catch at the upperend of the latch out of engagemen'twith thehammer-spring,which at once descends and imparts a blow upon the top of the plugger-socket, and the blow is thus imparted to the filling that is being yoperated upon. By releasing the downward pressure upon the handle the plugger-socket lis vfforced down again by the action4 of the spring G, and the catch is forced into place by the action of the spring E, and the instrument is again in position for imparting another blow by pressing downward upon the operating-handle.V

In order to guard against wear, the lower surface of the hammer-spring is preferably faced with steel.

Having thus described my invention, -what I' said tube, of the spring extending lengthwise of the handle and connecting the handle and plugger-socket to actu'ate said socket, and a spring-hammer on the handle with its free end adapted to engage the plugger-socket to impart a blow thereto, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the handle and the guide-tube secured to 011e end thereof at right angles thereto, of the plugger-socket movable in said tube, the spring on the handle and connecting the same with the pluggersocket and adapted to actuate the same, the spring-hammer on the handle and adapted to impart a blow to said plugger-socket, and a latch carried by the plugger socket and adapted to automatically lock and release the said hammer by an oscillatory movement of theghandle, substantially as described.

The combination, with the handle and the guide-tube secured to ne end thereof, at

right angles thereto, of the plugger-socket movable in said tube, the spring, on the handle 'and connecting the same with the plu ggersocket to actuate said socket, and a spring,- hammer on the handle, with its free end adapted to impart a blow to the said plugger-V socket, and a pivoted latch. carried bythe plugger-socket and adapted'to automatically lock and releasethe said hammer by an oscillatory movement of the handle and a spring acting on said latch, substantially 'as shown and described.

4i The herein-described automatic right.- angled dental plugger, the same comprising in -combination a handle, a tube securedto one; end of thehandle at right angles thereto, a plugger-socket Within the. tube, a spring connecting the handle and socket and adapted to actuate the socket, a .spring-hammer secured to the handle and adapted to impart a blowA vupon the upper face of the plugger-socket, a

latch secured to the socket and `provided at 1 its upper end with a catch to engage and lock theJhammer-spring, and a spring attached to thefsocket and adapted to actuate the latch vIOO and cross-piumoving with the plugger-socket through a slot in the tubefor releasing the catch by the movement of the operating-handle, substantially as shown and described, and for `the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signaturev in`presence of two witnesses.

HENRY CLIFF BALLARD/L' 

